Started as the NCTE Assembly of Media Arts blog: the Assembly has transitioned to: The Media And Digital Literacies Collaborative. This blog is primarily aimed at those who teach English/Language Arts but who are also interested in the role of the media/technology in curriculum instruction.

Friday, July 15, 2011

I have just reviewed one of the books in a new series entitled CAPTURED HISTORY. Each title in this series provides the background, history and context of a photograph that went on to have a place in American history. Since visual literacy is part of many state's art standards, this series will certainly be a valuable resource in support of those standards, as well as the existing ELA standards for non-print texts.

Thursday, July 14, 2011

A TV news story about Powerful Voices for Kids provided a potent lesson for the 9- to 11-year-olds enrolled in the media literacy program. They wondered: Why was the phrase “flash mobs” repeated so often? And why did the reporter give the wrong location? In the current issue of Nieman Reports, NCTE Media & Digital Literacies Collaborative member Renee Hobbs writes about Powerful Voices for Kids and suggests dos and don’ts for teaching children to be savvy media consumers.

Sunday, July 10, 2011

On Tuesday and Thursday nights starting at 8pm ET in July, Turner Classic Movies host Bob Osborne and Dr. Jack Shaheen (an authority on images of Arabs and Muslims in American pop culture) talk about that night's slate of movies. Here Shaheen talks about stereotypes. Each night (listed below) will also focus on a different topic. The TCM series homepage lists the films and includes other background.

July 5 Early Images
July 7 Arabs as Villans
July 12 Epics
July 14 Arabs as A Subject of Ridicule
July 19 Arab Maidens
July 21 Arabs as Sheiks
July 26 Even Handed Potrayals
July 28 Images from Outside Hollywood